Plate for line printing and method of producing same



June 19, 1934. M. M. LEFTWICH PLATE FOR LINE PRINTING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed May 1, 1933 R M] w w M UNETED STATES PATENT OFFEQE PLATE FOR LINE PRINTING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Morris M. Leftwich, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 1, 1933, Serial No. 668,728

6 Claims. (Cl. 101-400) This invention relates to printers furniture, ing the plate thickness constant as intersections, and more particularly to printing plates for prowhich character of construction is well-known. ducing designs made of thin lines, and it deals The entirety is held together by a chase or suitmore specifically with printing plates capable of able clamp when placed in a printing press.

use for printing straight lines either horizontal With the foregoing and other objects in view, 60

or vertical of the sheet, or both, and either with the invention consists in the novel and useful or without lettering. formation, construction, interrelation and com- Among the objects of this invention are to probination of parts, members and features, as well duce a printing plate for printing a line or a as mode and methods of use thereof, and steps plurality thereof on a sheet, whereof the usual and performances taken and had, all as hereinform is that of a plurality of lines extending both after described, shown in the drawing, and finalhorizontally and vertically of a sheet, the parly pointed out in claims. allel lines being spaced a predetermined distance In the drawing: apart, such as sheets for bills, financial state- Fig. l is a broken plan view of a plate;

ments, ledgers, and the like, with or without Fig. 2 shows a vertical section of a plate on printed headings; to produce plates which may line 22 of Fig. 1; be quickly made with any desired spaces between Fig. 3 is a fragmentary portion of a plan view the lines; to produce plates without the use of showing a plate with lettered headings; molds but which are made up only with printing Fig. 4 is an isometric perspective view of a 0 rules and reinforcing strips mutually interlocked, line-printing rule notched for assembly with the plates being substantially open-chambered transverse rules and strips, the notches being structures, and, therefore, light and easily hanmade from the bottom; died and stored, and which plates require only Fig. 5 is a similar view of a line-printing rule metal strips for forming them, which construcnotched from both bottom and top;

. tion avoids the necessity of melting metal parts Fig. 6 is an elevation of a thin printing rule or of applying temperatures in manufacture difmortised at an end and notched both from top fering from normal room temperatures; to proand bottom, and engaged with a border strip duce line printing plates more rapidly and with which is shown in section; less manufacturing equipment than is now pos- Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a 30 sible for fabricating plates which make similar thick reinforcing strip mortised from the bottom imprints, and to devise a structure which reat one end and notched both from the top and quires less labor and material and is less costly bottom;

than that of any other type or character of plates Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a for making similar imprints now known to apthin reinforcing strip mortised and notched from .35 plicant. h p;

Other objects will appear as this description Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation on line 99 of proceeds. Fig. 3;

This invention is in some respects similar to Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on line 10-10 and is an improvement on or departure from my of Fig. 1;

40 invention of Method for setting rules for print- Fig. 11 is a fragmentary under plan view of a ing, patented April 19, 1932, No. l .854,552. variant of the plate.

Briefly, this invention includes the use of thin In the assembly, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10, the inrules, preferably of metal, for printing lines, dividual members wherefrom these structures are one edge whereof has the exact thickness rebuilt up, are, in most cases, lettered to correspond 45 quired for the thickness of the line to be printed, with the indicia of the members as shown in the width of the rule being substantially equal to other figures, so that the method of assembly the thickness of the plate. These rules are set is clearly indicated. No clamping members are edgewise, being spaced as desired. Additional shown because these are well-known, standard strips are provided for purposes of reinforcement, utensils in the printing trade, but it is obvious 50 these said strips having a width less than the that such devices are employed in holding the plate thickness so that they cannot print, being assembled parts together when the plates are in solely for strengthening the structure. Wherever use, except in the case of certain variants of this the strips or rules cross each other, they are plate, as, for example, that shown in Fig. 11.

slotted from opposite edges toward the middle In general, the plate is built up of the inter- 5 5 of their width, both for interlocking and keepseating printing rules like E and F, shown in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively, having notches spaced in accordance with the desired line spacing. The edges or borders of the plate are reinforced by thick border members A and C, either with or without notches as the conditions may require. The thick border strips which are neither notched or end-mortised, are designated A, while similar heavy border strips, notched, are designated C. Printing border rules, not notched, are designated K, as shown.

If the printing rules are close enough together, the entire plate may be made up of intersecting printing members, as E, F and K, surrounded by border reinforcement strips such as A and C. However, it has been found that the thin members or rules tend to bend and cannot be maintained exactly straight unless supported at comparatively close intervals. This bending proceeds not only from use but from handling, mounting for printing and the action of forces other than those set up by printing alone. In practice it has been found that if the distance apart of any pair of parallel rules exceeds to inch, one or more reinforcing strips should be placed between the units of such pair of printing rules so that the distance apart of consecutive parallel rules and strips is'held to A to inch. These are general working figures and merely here set forth to give an idea of normal practice. They are in no respect limiting. The thin reinforcing strips D for intermingling with the printing rules, as depicted in Fig. 8, have a width less than the plate thickness, as indicated in Fig. 10, so that they can reinforce the structure without touching the surfaceto be printed or making any impression thereon. These reinforcing strips D have relatively spaced notches 20 and. an end mortised as shown at 21.

Considering the plate shown in Fig. 1, it is seen that the printing rules which extend vertically are those designated E, while the horizontal printing rules transverse to rules E are marked F, the two sets interlocking by the mating notches and 18 respectively. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) Intermediate reinforcement strips D, parallel with vertical printing rules E and appropriately spaced, are also interlocked with transverse rules F by' mating notches 20 and 17 respectively. (See Figs. 5 and 8.) The plate, made up as described, includes the pair of thick reinforcing border strips C, each provided with notches 22 extending from the top and spaced to mate with the said transverse rules F, while each end of each transverse rule F is mortised from the bottom as indicated at 19, Fig. 5. These mortised projections mate with the appropriate notches 22 of border strips C, as indicated in Fig. 6, so that the ends of the thin printing rules F interlock with the thick border strips C at each side. This same construction is used for such thick reinforcing strips B as may be required, these said strips being likewise mortised at the ends, as shown at 23 in Fig. '7, to mate with appropriate notches 22 in side members C, and provided with notches 24 to interlock with the proper notches 15 of'the printing rules E, and notches to receive the ends of the thin reinforcing strips D.

This construction completes the plate, except for the top and bottom portions. The arrangement for these borders may be identical with that for the side portions just described, for plates which print lines only, or may be made in accordance with the showing in Fig. 1 and the sections thereof, Figs. 2 and 10.

As shown in this particular example, the uppermost printing rule, K, is a plain, umiotched rule, reinforced by the outermost member A which is a thick uncut border strip held against the printing rule K by such clamping means as may be adopted. The ends of all of the vertical members E extending to outermost rule K simply abut against the inner surface of this latter member and its outer surface lies against the inner surface of top member A. The next succeeding transverse printing rule F is reinforced by adjacent member B lying against it and this pair is intersected by those vertical printing rules E which extend to printing rule K. Both this strip B and the adjacent rule F are notched to accommodate the vertical rules E. Also, the ends of said twostrips are mortised as indicated in Figs. 6 and l to fit into appropriate notches 22 in side members C. The thick strip B which is the second from the plate top, is notched from both top and bottom as indicated in Fig. 7, the top notches 24 accommodating the printing rules F, the bottom notches 25 receiving the thin reinforcing strips D.

By this construction it is seen that the thin outermost printing rules are protected against bending and held to exact rectilinear position by the thicker border members A and B adjacent to them and held by compression, substantially uniformly together over the entire length of the paired members. Also, by interlocking of elements and reinforcement of the structure at required spaced points independent of the spacing ofthe printing rules, a dependable, cellular plate is provided which, if properly clamped in a printing press, will maintain all of its elements in their required respective positions. Obviously, thick reinforcing strip B may be placed against either face of printing rule F or the two may be combined as an integral strip.

A novel feature of considerable commercial importance is the ability to assemble the elements quickly and subsequently dissociate them, like ordinary type. Of course, it is not probable that the spacing of the notches for one printing will be exactly adapted for a succeeding one, but by adding possibly a few notches to strips and rules already cut and. cutting off part of the length, previously used strips and rules will often serve for other plates and a considerable saving thus effected.

After accumulation of a large number of elements, it is probable that a sufficient stock will be on hand to enable selection of elements to build up practically any form of plate desired.

In plates which require printed column headings or indicators for side divisions, as depicted in Figs. 3 and 9, the type L is usually wedged in between a pair of printing rules by longitudinal spacers G and end spacers 12. Unless these rules are reinforced the spacers will bend the adjacent printing rules and the prints from the plates will be more subject to distortion than are the ordinary linear plates. Hence, in plates carrying type blocks, the use of thick reinforcing strips as A or B is imperative, unless the plate-holding clamp plus the intersecting bars can be depended on to maintain the thin printing rules absolutely straight; a seemingly diflicult if not impossible procedure. In Fig. 3 and the section therethrough, Fig. 9, it is seen that with the added type block L with its longitudinal wedges G, the construction is the same as previously described. The plate is composed of thick uncut strips A at the top or bottom or both, reinforcing thin uncut printing rule or rules K; then, at a predetermined distance below upper rule K is printing rule F, appropriately notched, and, lying against it is thick reinforcing strip B, also suitably notched and mortised. Type block L, wedged between printing rule strips K and F by wedges G would spring the said two printing strips Kand F out of line, bowing them apart, and thereby produce a distortion of the plate but for the thick strips A and B.

While as stated the general manner of holding the interlocking members more firmly together is to apply an external clamp or wedged border to a plate, it is sometimes preferred to solder or weld together intersecting pairs by applying a small molten quantity of metal or to melt a small amount from one or both members at their intersection which joins the two members fixedly together as indicated in Fig. 11 which shows welds 14 at the intersections and at the rear of members E and F. Where welds or soldered joints are employed, all rear projections must be smoothed down to the plane of the plate surface, as is obvious.

Having described my invention in connection with illustrative embodiments, forms and arrangements of parts, it will be understood that many variants thereof are possible to those skilled in the art, and my invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particular construction or application herein shown and described, as changes'in size, proportions, configurations, arrangements, assemblage, inter-;

rules, each of said printing rules havingv a notch formed at each pointrof intersection with a rule transverse thereto for mutual interlocking, the combined depth of any pair of notches being equal to or in excess of the width of said printing rules;

a reinforcing border surrounding said plate comprising metallic members each narrower and thicker than said printing rules, said border members and printing rules having mating notches at points of intersection with each other adapted for mutual interlocking, so that the rear edges of all said rules or members will lie in substantially a uniform plane when mutually interlocked while the front edges only of the printing rules lie in the front printing plane.

2. In a cellular line rule printing plate with typed captions for columns, the combination of a plurality of parallel printing rules, an additional printing rule set transverse thereto, said printing rules having notches at points of intersection adapted to interlock, a block of type set in a column of said ruling, reinforcing means for said plate comprising a strip supporting the printing rules inwardly of the type block, and a second metallic border surrounding the entirety including the type block.

3. In a cellular line rule printing plate with typed captions for columns, the combination of a plurality of parallel printing rules, an additional printing rule set transverse thereto, said printing rules having notches at points of intersection adapted to interlock, a block of type set in a column of said ruling, reinforcing means for said plate comprising strips supporting the printing rules inwardly of the type block, and a metallic border surrounding the entirety including the type block, each side of said border comprising a strip narrower and thicker than the line rules and notched to mate with other notches made in other elements of the plate at pointsof intersection of said border strip with said elements.

4. In a line'rule printing plate, in combination, a group of parallel, spaced apart printing rules, a second group of parallel, spaced apart printing rules disposed transversely with respect to the rules of the first group, the rules of the respective groups being disposed in intersecting relationship and interfltting at their points of intersection, a relatively thick reinforcing border surrounding said rules, and a relatively thick reinforcing strip disposed against the inner face of one of the rules and interfltted at its ends with the border.

5. In a line rule printing plate, in combination, a group of parallel, spaced apart printing rules, a second group of parallel, spaced apart printing .rules disposed transversely with respect to the rules of the first group, the rules of the respective groups being disposed in intersecting relationship and interfltting at their points of intersections, a relatively thick border surrounding said rules, said border having notches, a relatively thick reinforcing strip disposed against the inner face of one of said rules, the last mentioned rule and said reinforcing strip having mortised ends interiltted --with the notched portions of said border.

In a line rule printing plate, in combination, a group of parallel, spaced apart printing rules, a second group of parallel, spaced apart printing rules disposed transversely with respect to the rules of the first group, the rules of the respective groups being disposed in intersecting relationship and int'erfitting at their points of intersection, a relatively thick reinforcing border surrounding said rules, a relatively thick reinforcing strip disposed against the inner face of a rule of one of 

